anti- TERF1 antibody

Background

TERF1, also known as TRF1, is a key component of the shelterin complex that binds to double-stranded telomeric DNA, playing an essential role in telomere maintenance and genomic stability. TERF1 regulates telomere length by inhibiting telomerase activity, preventing inappropriate elongation of telomeres, and facilitating their replication and capping. It recruits other shelterin components and telomere-associated proteins to protect chromosome ends from being recognized as double-strand breaks, thereby preventing DNA damage responses and chromosome fusion. TERF1 is highly expressed in proliferative tissues, including stem cells and cancer cells, where telomere maintenance is critical for cellular longevity. Dysregulation of TERF1 contributes to telomere dysfunction, genomic instability, and diseases such as cancer and premature aging syndromes. Functional studies demonstrate that TERF1 deletion results in telomere uncapping, DNA damage accumulation, and activation of cell cycle arrest or apoptosis, underscoring its pivotal role in telomere integrity, chromosome stability, and cellular homeostasis.